Virtual primary care in healthcare has a great scope in the future. It is because digitalization has taken over the world. People nowadays have access to almost everything in their hands- a smartphone and internet connectivity, that’s it. Other than this, a public health crisis like COVID-19 forced people to stay home to avoid coronavirus exposure. Due to this, telehealth primary care/primary care telemedicine software came into existence to offer needed diagnoses and treatment for patient’s acute illnesses. And keep on advancing during these years.
Now the tech-savvy generation prefers virtual healthcare through telehealth vs telemedicine not because it eliminates physical contact but also greatly saves time and money. In other age groups, people who have utilized and experienced the benefits of virtual primary care are turning 100% towards virtual healthcare. Therefore, it is certain that virtual primary care will grow in the future.
What is Virtual Primary Care?
Virtual Primary Care is the delivery of healthcare services by a doctor or healthcare provider to a patient via video or phone visits. It comprises 3 major components.
- 24/7 urgent care
- Chronic care
- Preventive screenings
24/7 urgent care / virtual urgent care deals with patients’ unexpected visits for acute illnesses such as rashes, coughs, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and bladder infections. During the virtual visit, a doctor can prescribe medication to treat the patient’s illness and send it to the patient’s pharmacy of choice electronically.
Virtual chronic care easily manages chronic conditions like diabetes, high cholesterol, and hypertension. In most chronic cases, the patient requires extensive counseling on nutrition, exercise, and alarming signs of complications. Thanks to virtual chronic care, patients can leverage easier, longer, and more frequent doctor visits to better manage their counseling needs. Also, patients experience the frequent need for lab tests in chronic care, such as LDL levels for high cholesterol and haemoglobin A1c for diabetes. However, these blood tests need to be performed in person, but a virtual primary care doctor can electronically send an order to a local, cost-effective lab facility near you to collect the samples.
Virtual preventive screenings with the patients can be performed or coordinated virtually. This can better be understood as questionnaire-based screenings with the patient during virtual visits. For example, screenings for depression and alcohol abuse. Or a virtual primary care doctor refers patients to a gastroenterologist for colonoscopy screening and women to a local imaging center for mammograms screening.
How Does Virtual Primary Care Work?
Virtual primary care, which is a form of primary care, utilizes technology to provide patients convenient face time with their primary care providers. Patients can leverage virtual healthcare wherever and whenever they want. The only thing they need is a smartphone, tablet, or laptop with good internet connectivity. They don’t need to leave their office early and beat the traffic to the doctor’s office. Or even wasting their time sitting in the waiting area.
However, the method remains consistent across the board, but not every virtual care provider needs to use the same approach. Therefore, while choosing your virtual patient care provider, always look for the practice that better resonates with your health goals.
A virtual care provider that offers complete support for your health and well-being is always the best option. You wouldn’t get access to only a primary care provider, but also to its whole care team. The care team deliberately listens to every person to know their health concerns and delivers a personalized experience to every unique person.
Other than this, the patients can easily connect with the entire care team through an app. They can have video chat with their clinician anywhere, anytime. Message for a health guide with a quick question, send a photo or request a prescription refill in no time. This is the most convenient way to get the care you deserve through virtual primary care.
View Original Source: https://www.vcdoctor.com/blog/future-of-virtual-primary-care-in-healthcare-for-patient-treatment
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